THE WELLINGTON MANAWATU RAILWAY,

Evening Post, Volume LIX, Issue 11, 13 January 1900, Page 5

THE WELLINGTON MANAWATU RAILWAY,

SUGGESTED PURCHASE BY THE GOVERNMENT. In accordance with the resolution passed at the meeting of the Council of the Chamber of Commerca on Monday, the Secretary of that body (Mr. S. Carroll) has addressed the following letter to the new Minister of Railways (Hon. J. G. Ward) in reference to the purchase of the Wellington - Manawatu Railway : — In viev. r of your assumption of the onice controlling the New Zealand Railways, the council of this chamber desires to be permitted to ask your earnest consideration of the question of the acquisition on behalf of the colony of the Wellington1 Manawatu railway line. As far back as May, 1894, this chamber drew attention to the inconvenience, loss, and discomfort enlailed upon producers along the route, the trading classes in Wellington, and all who use the lines, by difficulties arising from the diverse management of the traffic of this railway and that of the Government lines with which . it is connected. At tho same time the chamber ventured to suggest to the Government that the line should be taken over on behalf of the colony. Since that date the chamber has more than once aiioved in the matter, but has not succeeded in inducing the management of the Government lines and that of the Manawatu railway to act in unison for the public welfare and convenience, and my council is convinced that the only remedy lies in the concentration of the management under one authority. The settlers throughout the country affected are unanimous in the desire that all the lines should be in tho hands of the Govtfnment, us the present arrangements inTolve unnecessary hindrances and expense upon the producers and all those engaged in the settlement and cultivation of this important district. The; railway, even under present circumstances, jaelds a good return on the capital invested, and would evidently become still more profitable in the hands of the Government, while the unification of the management would tend to the prosperity of settlers and the encouragement of production in all the country served by the railways. Under these circumstances the council is distinctly of opinion that r,n addition to the debt of the colony for the acquisition of so valuable and profitable an asset is not a consideration which need cause a moment's hesitation, in view of the' large # benefits that would i'ollow for a large section of tho colony.